Drinking vessel cover with air check valve

ABSTRACT

A drinking vessel includes a bottle having a chamber for receiving a liquid, and a mouth communicating with the chamber of the bottle, a cover device includes a cover member for detachably attaching to the mouth, the cover member includes a port having a passage formed in the port and communicating with the chamber of the bottle, a plug is attached to a lower portion of the port and includes an orifice communicating with the passage of the port and the chamber of the bottle, a valve member is engaged in the passage of the port, and the port includes a rib for anchoring the valve member in the passage of the port and for preventing the valve member from being disengaged from the cover member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a drinking vessel cover, and more particularly to a drinking vessel cover including an air check valve provided in the cover for temporarily covering or sealing the drinking vessel and for preventing the dirt or saliva or contaminant from entering into the drinking vessel after use.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical drinking vessels or bottles comprise a cover attached onto the open mouth of the drinking vessel for covering or sealing the drinking vessel, and the cover may be disengaged or separated or removed from the drinking vessel for allowing the liquid or water or beverage contained in the drinking vessel to be drank by the user, and the cover may then be attached onto the open mouth of the drinking vessel again for covering or sealing the drinking vessel after use.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,476 to Loeffler, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,446 to Albert disclose several of the typical drinking vessels or bottles each comprising a cover attached onto the open mouth of the drinking vessel for covering or sealing the drinking vessel, and the cover may include an air check valve provided therein for controlling the air to enter into the drinking vessel.

However, the typical drinking vessel covers include a complicated structure or configuration that may not be easily made or manufactured and that may include a complicated making or manufacturing procedure and that may include a greatly increased manufacturing cost.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional drinking vessel covers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a drinking vessel cover including an air check valve provided in the cover for temporarily covering or sealing the drinking vessel and for preventing the dirt or saliva or contaminant from entering into the drinking vessel after use.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a drinking vessel comprising a bottle including a chamber formed therein for receiving a liquid or water or beverage, and a mouth communicating with the chamber of the bottle, a cover device including a cover member for engaging with the mouth and for detachably attaching to the mouth, the cover member including a port having a passage formed in the port and communicating with the chamber of the bottle for allowing the user to drink the liquid or water, a plug attached to a lower portion of the port, the plug including an orifice formed therein and communicating with the passage of the port and the chamber of the bottle, a valve member engaged in the passage of the port, and the cover device including a rib provided at an upper portion of the port for anchoring and retaining the valve member in the passage of the port and for preventing the valve member from being disengaged and removed from the cover member. The valve member is selectively engageable with the plug for selectively covering or sealing or blocking the passage of the port due to the gravity force.

The cover member includes an inner thread provided therein for threading and engaging with the mouth and for detachably or changeably or removably attaching to the mouth. The plug includes a tilted or inclined inner peripheral surface or valve seat formed therein for receiving and engaging with the valve member and for allowing the valve member to selectively cover or seal or block the passage of the port.

The cover member includes at least one pathway formed in the upper portion of the port and communicating with the passage of the port for allowing the liquid or water to be drank by the user. The cover member includes a projection extended from the rib for selectively contacting or engaging with the valve member and for preventing the valve member from covering or sealing or blocking the pathway of the port and/or of the cover member.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drinking vessel cover in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the drinking vessel cover, similar to FIG. 1, in which a portion of the drinking vessel has been cut off for showing the inner structure of the drinking vessel;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the drinking vessel cover, as seen from the upper portion of the drinking vessel cover;

FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view of the drinking vessel cover, as seen from the bottom portion of the drinking vessel cover;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the drinking vessel cover, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the drinking vessel cover; and

FIG. 7 is another cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the operation of the drinking vessel cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-6, a drinking vessel in accordance with the present invention comprises a vessel body or bottle 10 including a compartment or chamber 11 formed therein for receiving or containing liquid or water or beverage therein, and including an open mouth 12 formed or provided thereon and communicating with the chamber 11 of the bottle 10 for allowing the liquid or water or beverage to be introduced or filled into the chamber 11 of the bottle 10 and/or to be drank by the user, and arranged for attaching a cover device 3 to the mouth 12 of the bottle 10 and for covering or sealing the chamber 11 of the bottle 10.

The cover device 3 includes a cover body or member 30 having a substantially cylindrical shape or structure and having an inner thread 31 formed or provided therein for threading or engaging with the mouth 12 and for detachably or changeably or removably attaching to the mouth 12. The above-described structure or configuration for the engagement or attachment of the cover body or member 30 to the mouth 12 is typical and is not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details. The cover member 30 includes a mouth or port 32 having a compartment or passage 33 formed therein and communicating with the chamber 11 of the bottle 10.

The cover device 3 further includes a pad or plug 34 attached or mounted or secured to the port 32 of the cover member 30 at the lower or bottom portion of the port 32 for covering or sealing the lower or bottom portion of the passage 33 of the port 32, and an opening or orifice 35 formed in the plug 34 and communicating with the passage 33 of the port 32 and the chamber 11 of the bottle 10, and a tilted or inclined inner peripheral surface or valve seat 36 formed in the plug 34 for receiving or seating or supporting or engaging with a valve piece or member 40 and for temporarily covering or sealing or blocking the passage 33 of the port 32 (FIGS. 2, and 5-6).

The cover device 3 further includes a spider or rib 37 formed or provided or attached or mounted or secured to the port 32 of the cover member 30 at the upper portion of the port 32 and/or includes one or more slits or slots or pathways 38 in the upper portion of the port 32 and/or beside the spider or rib 37 and communicating with the passage 33 of the port 32, for anchoring or retaining or positioning the valve member 40 within the passage 33 of the port 32 and for preventing the valve member 40 from being disengaged or separated or removed from the cover member 30, and includes, selectively or optionally, a pusher or projection 39 extended from the spider or rib 37 for selectively contacting or engaging with the valve member 40 and for preventing the valve member 40 from covering or sealing or blocking the pathways 38 of the port 32 and/or of the cover member 30 (FIG. 7).

The cover device 3 may further include a lid or cap 50 detachably or changeably or removably attached to the port 32 and/or the cover member 30 for covering or sealing or blocking the passage 33 of the port 32 and/or of the cover member 30. The cap 50 may be detachably or changeably or removably attached to the port 32 and/or the cover member 30 with such as a force-fitted engagement for allowing the cap 50 to be detachably or changeably or removably attached to the port 32 and/or the cover member 30.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 7, when the cap 50 is separated or disengaged or removed from the cover member 30 and when the bottle 10 is disposed or arranged upside down, the user may drink the liquid or water or beverage from the port 32 of the cover member 30. At this moment, the projection 39 and/or the rib 37 of the cover member 30 may be contacted or engaged with the valve member 40 for preventing the valve member 40 from covering or sealing or blocking the pathways 38 of the port 32 and/or of the cover member 30 and for allowing the liquid or water or beverage to be suitably drank by the user.

After use, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5-6, the valve member 40 may be contacted or engaged with or supported on the valve seat 36 that is formed and provided in the plug 34, due to gravity force, for covering or sealing or blocking the passage 33 of the port 32 and for preventing the dirt or saliva or contaminant from entering into the chamber 11 of the bottle 10 after use.

Accordingly, the drinking vessel cover in accordance with the present invention includes an air check valve provided in the cover for temporarily covering or sealing the drinking vessel and for preventing the dirt or saliva or contaminant from entering into the drinking vessel after use.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A drinking vessel comprising: a bottle including a chamber formed therein for receiving a liquid, and a mouth communicating with said chamber of said bottle; a cover device including a cover member for engaging with said mouth and for detachably attaching to said mouth, said cover member including a port having a passage formed in said port and communicating with said chamber of said bottle, a plug attached to a lower portion of said port, said plug including an orifice formed therein and communicating with said passage of said port and said chamber of said bottle; a valve member engaged in said passage of said port; and said cover device including a rib provided at an upper portion of said port for anchoring and retaining said valve member in said passage of said port and for preventing said valve member from being disengaged and removed from said cover member.
 2. The drinking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover member includes an inner thread provided therein for threading and engaging with said mouth.
 3. The drinking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plug includes a valve seat formed therein for receiving and engaging with said valve member.
 4. The drinking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover member includes at least one pathway formed in said upper portion of said port.
 5. The drinking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover member includes a projection extended from said rib for selectively engaging with said valve member. 